The rank of the officers is indicated by shoulder straps worn transversely across the shoulders next to the shoulder seams of the sleeves, after the style of the shoulder strap worn by officers of the United States Army with their blue dress coats. These are the only two great armies in which this form of shoulder strap is worn by officers to indicate rank. These shoulder straps are covered with cloth of the distinctive color of the arm of the service with stripes of gold braid running lengthwise of them on the same scheme as that used on the shoulder straps worn by Japanese naval officers as illustrated, namely, for General officers one wide stripe, for field officers two narrow stripes and for company officers one narrow stripe. On the gold stripes silver stars are worn for the different grades of rank in each class. The number of stripes and stars for each grade is as follows: _General Officers._ General Three stars on one wide gold stripe. Lieutenant General Two stars on one wide gold stripe. Major General One star on one wide gold stripe. _Field Officers._ Colonel Three stars on two narrow gold stripes. Lieutenant Colonel Two stars on two narrow gold stripes. Major One star on two narrow gold stripes. _Company Officers._ Captain Three stars on one narrow gold stripe. First Lieutenant Two stars on one narrow gold stripe. Second Lieutenant One star on one narrow gold stripe. The rank of noncommissioned officers is shown by narrow stripes around the cuffs, and for all enlisted men the arm of the service is indicated by the color patches on each side of the collar and the regimental number is worn upon these collar patches, Arabic figures being used for the regular service, Roman numerals for the militia and Arabic figures on one side of the collar and Roman on the other for the reserves. The overcoat for officers is a double-breasted ulster similar to that worn by American officers, and that for enlisted men is single-breasted and short. The overcoats are of khaki-colored cloth. The service belts for both officers and men are of tan leather. UNIFORMS OF THE JAPANESE NAVY When Japan began to build and man her modern navy she derived much early training and experience from the British Navy, which was then as now, the largest of the world’s navies. As a result the uniforms of both the officers and men of the Japanese Navy are similar in most respects to those of the British Navy. The principal difference is that the Japanese naval officers’ undress or service uniform coat is a single-breasted blouse with standing collar similar to that worn by officers of the United States Navy, the collar and edges being trimmed with black braid.